On Sunday afternoon, Danny Welbeck bagged a brace for Arsenal against Southampton in a thrilling game, which saw both teams reduced to ten men.

Southampton offered the first threat on goal on seven minutes. Dusan Tadic got in behind the Gunners defence and pulled the ball back to James Ward-Prowse, who hit a rather tame effort towards goal that Hector Bellerin cleared near the goal line.

The Saints took the lead on 17 minutes. Wing-back Cedric dug out a cross and striker Shane Long poked home at the near post. The home side struggled to create anything until the equaliser arrived on 28 minutes.

A good team move saw Alex Iwobi played in Danny Welbeck in the box and the forward flicked the ball on to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who poked the ball past Alex McCarthy.

On 34 minutes, Aubameyang crossed into the box and Chambers tried an acrobatic effort on goal that easily dealt with by McCarthy. Goalscorer Long also poked wide of the Arsenal goal when well placed for the visitors.

On 36 minutes, Granit Xhaka smashed a free-kick well over the Southampton goal after Welbeck was fouled on the edge of the area. The Gunners took the lead two minutes later. Iwobi found Welbeck who cut in from the left and hit an effort from 18 yards that took a deflection off Maya Yoshida and beat McCarthy.

Xhaka had another attempt on goal on 40 minutes, this time smashing a long-range effort over the bar from long-range. At the other end, Ward-Prowse saw a long-range effort go wide of Petr Cech’s far post.

On the stroke of half-time, Chambers saw an effort from the edge of the area blocked after Aubameyang had pulled the ball back to the defender from a clear corner kick.

The Gunners had the first attempt of the second period on 47 minutes, as McCarthy produced a decent save after a shot from a tight angle by Aubameyang. The Saints ‘keeper was in action soon afterwards, this time pulling off a save from a long-range low effort from Xhaka.

McCarthy also had to make a good save from Alex Iwobi on 52 minutes after the Nigerian international hit a powerful effort. Arsenal ‘keeper Cech was called into action at the other end of the pitch, as the veteran stopper had to parry an effort from Hojbjerg.

The Saints offered another threat on 56 minutes, as Mohamed Elneny cleared a Wes Hoedt header off the line. On the hour mark, Long came close to heading an equaliser, but Cech did well to keep the effort out.

Two minutes later, Long saw a goal disallowed after the striker touched a long-range effort by Cedric. Replays showed that the Ireland international was offside.

The Saints continued to press for an equaliser. On 69 minutes, Cech got across well to keep out a powerfully hit effort from Hoedt. The south coast team were level on 73 minutes.

Charlie Austin had been off the bench a matter of seconds before he fired home from close-range after a superb cross from Cedric. The Gunners should have regained the lead on 78 minutes. Jack Wilshere squared the ball to Welbeck, but on the stretch, the striker managed to hook the ball over the bar from six yards out.

At the other end, Austin got the better of Chambers before poking an effort on the stretch right at Cech. The side from north London regained the lead on 81 minutes, Welbeck heading home from close-range from an Iwobi cross.

With just four minutes left on the clock, Tadic hit a half-volley from a tight angle that Cech saved well. There was then a controversial moment, as Southampton defender Jack Stephens saw red for hauling Jack Wilshere to the turf.

Two minutes later Mohamed Elneny also received a red card for pushing Cedric in the face in an off-the-ball incident. The incident was the last of an action-packed clash.

The Gunners maintain their positive momentum ahead of Thursday night’s trip to CSKA Moscow in the Europa League. Meanwhile, the Saints remain in the Premier League’s bottom three.